


Integrity

by TheOutCastAyh



Series: "Wit" Trilogy [2]
Category: Divergent Series - Veronica Roth
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Ass-Kicking, Divergent, F/F, F/M, Factions, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Kissing, LGBTQ Character, LGBTQ Female Character, Minor Character Death, Minor Character(s), Murder, Tragic Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-24
Updated: 2017-09-09
Packaged: 2018-09-11 19:38:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 16
Words: 18,254
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9008104
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheOutCastAyh/pseuds/TheOutCastAyh
Summary: (Book two of the "Wit" Trilogy)After passing the first physical trial, the Dauntless must face the mental and emotional trials to determine their membership. But when Georgia comes across a seemingly impossible conflict, she doesn't think that she'll pass. And that all the times people have doubted her with lies - were true. The blurred line between reality and dreams are impossible to decipher.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Aye, Ayh here! Just Book two of my Wit series, thought I might start dumping it on here. I hope you enjoy. :) Leave a comment, or kudos, which ever, when ever, and as always, remember, that you're loved and important. :) Take care.

Georgia paused in the halls of the Dauntless headquarter, eyes focused in on the people passing. Turning with an urging feeling, like someone had been following her, she turned slowly to look over her shoulders. She stared at the curve of the hall, and waited for the lurker to come into sight. A tap came on her arm and shoulder looked forward, "Come on," said Reggie, "We have to get to training."

Georgia nodded, but taking a step she stopped again. Turning to look behind her again, a dog lunged out at her with snarling teeth, and heavy front paws. Losing her balance, she tipped back towards the Chasm with a scream and the dog still on top of her as she was falling.

She jerked awake, breath ragged, and she sat up quickly as hands steadied her instantly. "It's okay."

She looked up meeting Tobias' gaze.

"You're back now." He assured, stepping back with his hands up.

She panted, running her hand down her face feeling the heat rising off of her skin.

Tobias turned back to the monitor, clicking around. "You just about averaged with the rest. Two minutes better than last time, that's good." He said, turning back to her. "How're you feeling? Alright?"

"A little sick."

"It happens to some people, most people have allergic reactions to it. You've probably just got the end of the bat with this one." He smiled lightly, "Take it easy."

She nodded, slowly sitting up from the chair. With a small stumble, he caught her.

"You alright?"

She nodded, "The stimulation gets me a little dizzy."

"You'll be alright." He patted her back as she steadied towards the door, opening it for her, they both came into sight. "Reg. You're up." He called and Reggie stood up from the seat beside Georgia's.

"You alright?" She asked.

Georgia nodded, "I'm fine. I just need some water."

Reggie nodded, rubbing her back. "Feel better." She insisted, and started walking for the stimulation room.

Paul, waiting by the corner, stood up and started walking beside her. "How'd you do? Fourth time in, how was it this time?"

"Sicker." She commented. "A dog mauled me over the Chasm."

"Wow. Yikes. I got burned, to _death_. My old faction watched."

She shook her head, "I need a nap."

"Agreed. That test made me hungry though, I never realized how much I wanted food until now. I could eat a hoard of buffets in my lifetime."

She snickered, "You already do."

"Hey!" He nudged her, "No picking on me."

She put her hands up in surrender, starting the walk along the halls towards the Chasm to the cafeteria where lunch was being served. "I find it so strange how everything's happening so quick now. Feels like days ago we were jumping in a hole and screaming for our lives."

"You know, I've been thinking the same thing too. It's weird." He started across the Chasm. "I guess it's just - time. Guess we spend so much time on doing the same things we don't realize what's going on." He shrugged, looking to his side but only finding a wall. "Georgia?"

Georgia was on the other side of the bridge, staring at it right in front of her feet. Every time she'd entered stimulation, the Chasm was always there. She'd always feared the Chasm, being around it, walking over it, even running over it once. She could only wonder if she could fight this fear in her, and switch it out for something less terrifying. Like spiders, or maybe even snakes. Anything but the Chasm.

"Georgia, come on." He gently grabbed her wrist, bringing her along the bridge. Moving to the other side, he let go of her wrist and walked beside her. "Are you going to be okay? With the Chasm and everything?"

"Yeah. Eventually."

"Do you think you'll be able to get over your fear of it?"

"After Eric tossed me over it one time, I don't know." She joked, and he smiled.

"You're making light of the fear, maybe that's step one. Find humor it in."

She shrugged as they walked into sight of the cafeteria, a Dauntless passed her. "Hey, _Amity!"_ He greeted, and she smiled to him.

He leaned in close to whisper, "Do you think people are still looking up to you because you shot Four _and_ won the physical fight?"

"Hey, _Amity._ Sit with us!" Called another Dauntless passing them down the stairs.

She snickered, "I'll take that as a _yes."_ Wandering along, people had said hello to her and she'd said it back.

The Capture the Flag Game was long ago, but people still found the humor and lightness in it. She sat down at the corner of a table, and Paul sat beside her. Diana, a Dauntless born initate, smiled at her and continued eating. "Did you hear about the score board?" She asked.

"No, what about it?" Georgia cupped her water.

"Supposedly, the last ones on the list was Giovanni. The first two were Cameron, and Reggie."

"Who was the third?" Paul asked. 

"You're sitting beside her." She gestured to Georgia, "I think she got third place because of the defiance in the beginning, but since she won the physical fight and Capture the Flag it boosted her way up the charts. I got fifth."

"When did you look at them?"

"I didn't look at them, I heard second hand from some older Dauntless. He says it's wild prizes for the top three, I guess that makes you an extra celebrity behind the Flag win, and the fight out in the Pit." She smiled, "What ever happens, I'm totally rooting for you to get first place." 

"You seem happy about that." Paul commented.

"And?" Her voice started to pinch with aggravation.

"I'm just saying, most people would want themselves to be in the top three or number one."

"I was number one in my class and also won the reward for best engineer. I know what the fame is like already, why shouldn't I give someone else a chance for once?"

"I was just saying-."

She rolled her eyes and looked back to Georgia. "So, I was thinking that for a little celebration for you we could head to the Pit and get new clothes or even a tattoo. I'm looking forward to a piercing, on my tongue." She raised her eyebrows. "Wanna come along?"

"Uh, sure." Georgia smiled.

"Can I come?" Paul pipped in.

Diana glared at him, "Sorry. It's a girl's night." She rolled her eyes again, looking down at her meal. "I'm done." She stood up, "Meet up by the Pit around seven?"

"Yeah."

She waved to Georgia and walked off, Paul beside her sighed. "Wow, that's what you call _two face_ d." He scoffed. "Are you going?"

"With her?"

"Yeah."

She shrugged, "I wouldn't mind getting something for myself."

"As in like a tattoo or piercing?"

"No, clothes."

"Oh." He nodded, picking up a hamburger and putting it on his plate."While you're there could you look at the guy's section for me, I see some guys around with these cool jackets and I want to get one myself one time and -."

 

Georgia zoned out. Her eyes scanned over the crowd as she caught the sight of someone across the lunch room. Tracey sat in between some rowdy Dauntless who laughed and pounded their fists against the tables. She didn't look like she belonged, she kept her eyes downcast with a bandage strip over her nose. As if signalled by her stare, Tracey looked up to look around the room before her eyes met Georgia's. She tried at a smile, but Tracey glared at her. She glared and it burned Georgia, enough to turn her gaze away. When she looked back, Tracey was gone. She could only hope that Tracey would forgive her.


	2. Chapter 2

Georgia looked along the shop, dark clothes set on racks and shelves, shoes and boots. Her eyes scanned along the array of boots, knee high and ankle high. Diana was looking through a rack, and glancing up to her she smiled.

"Are you going to buy something?"

Georgia looked at her, "I don't really know."

Diana looked around the room, "Try that rack. They might have some good things to look at." She pointed to a rack in the corner, and Georgia followed along the checkered black and white floor.

 

Feeling at every fabric, she'd pushed aside shirts on hangers, and moved along. Black low cut shirt, short sleeved, long sleeved, designed cuts, and baby soft to leather textures. She dropped her hands and turned away from the rack to head back to where Diana was now looking at heeled boots. She paused as a clothes article caught her eyes. A maroon sleeved, black vest jacket with a hoodie and zipper sat on a rack. The silver button lined up the stomach and chest, and the pockets with the same colored zipper, picking it out she turned it in her hands.

 

"I like that." Diana said suddenly at her side. "I think it fits you. Plus," she touched the leather, "It's probably good against the wind and cold of this place." She laughed. "I'm going to check these out, alright? I'll be right out."

 

Georgia looked back at the jacket and thought for a bit. Maybe it would be alright if she got something for herself, after all - points collect for a long while, saving was good. Debating with herself, she decided she'd get it and already shucking it on she looked to the long body mirror. It fit her well, stopping at her waist, and hung a little over her shoulders. It was a loose fit, but well enough. Looking at herself, she didn't look like herself. Like the free waving haired, orange skirt, and red colored sweater wearing, flower loving Amity anymore. She looked mean and rugged; like she could have at it with beating someone or hanging them over the Chasm herself. Shaking her head, she tore herself away from the mirror and had to leave the smoke filled shop. Passing another doorway down the stairs, she paused. Looking in she'd found the tattoo shop.

 

To her curiously wondering mind she stepped inside, the neon red lights of the signs cast a dim light on the shop, waiting chairs in the corner and designs up on the walls. Birds colored or just plain black and white, roses, lilies, and dandelions, all sorts of designs the artist's had created. Moving along the wall she paused in front of a massive thin one, it was a tree with flowers at the ends of every branch, the flowers pink and the trunk was contorted and fat with a hole in the middle. She only thought of the Amity tree in the field, the sun setting, and the Amity children playing _Ring Around the Rosie_ with connected hands as they skipped around the root protruding ground before the tree.

 

"Excuse me?"

She turned to the side, staring a stiff faced, red hair tattooist in the face.

"Are you here for a tattoo or piercing?"

Georgia looked back to the tree, just seeing a tree with flowers now. The vision gone. "Uh, no. I was just looking."

She nodded, "If you change your mind, go up to the front counter."

"Alright. Thank you." She mumbled as she walked off. Looking back at the tree, she exhaled in sorrow, standing there for a while more.

" _Amity."_

She turned to Diana coming into the shop.

"I told you to wait. I was only trying on clothes."

"I'm sorry."

She looked to her coat, "You bought it." She smiled, "It looks nice on you."

Georgia smiled as Diana turned her attention to the tree.

"Are you getting that?"

"Oh, no! I was only looking." She looked back at the illustration, "It's amazing."

Diana nodded, "While we're here I can look at some designs to get next time." She said walking down the line.

Georgia looked around the room, people getting tattoos and even new comers wincing to the needles touch. Looking back to the tree, she sighed. It made her miss home, and maybe even wanting to see it one day again. Her only fear was that things wouldn't be the same any more. Pushing away from the wall, she waited for Diana and they soon enough left the parlor.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aye, Ayh here! Chapter update! Enjoy. :)

Walking out to the Pit, Reggie stood in a group with some Dauntless who she'd befriended and she was laughing with them. Only just hours before she was sick to her stomach because she'd gone through the serum testing, and she'd seen something she didn't want to. She wouldn't tell Georgia, but she knew it was something unstable and terrifying. Walking up to them, Georgia smiled as Reggie looked at her and waved. "Hey. How'd the test go?"

"It went well actually-."

"I did pretty good." Someone said over her, and turning she saw Tracey standing behind her.

Moving out of the way, Reggie's attention was directed towards Tracey in the first place.

Paul walked up to the group, and Diana seemingly was kind to him enough. "Hey, are any of you guys heading to the Hub today? I heard there's this huge gathering."

Georgia felt excluded from the group, and Tobias was walking towards her. She smiled, giving a wave, and he ignored her without a single glance. She watched him go past her, knocking into her too. "Hey." She called, "Hey!"

 

She looked towards the group, all laughing, and she'd stepped out in the middle of them. She waved her hands in front of Reggie's face, and Reggie laughed at what Tracey had said. Her heart started to race, and she stumbled out of the group. She looked around the entire Pit. It felt like she was spinning in circles, faces and voices whirling, none of them paying attention. This was a nightmare, she had to wake up. _Wake up._

 

Tugging hands clasped onto her shirt, and her feet lift off the ground. Her back hit the solid stone of the ground, and air escaped her lungs before she was looking into the eyes of Eric. Stone faced and merciless, her head hung over the ledge and she looked down to see the Chasm below. Her heart went into kick-start, and she was pushing up against his hands. In a fit of fighting hands, his hands holding the shirt on her chest down, her back slipped further down the ledge and the small of her back was jabbing into the squared off ledge. _Wake up._

 

" _This isn't real._ " She said in confusion and realization, at the same time Eric did.

Instead of pushing, her hand grabbed a fist full of his jacket and tugged back from the ledge. They were tipping back, falling slowly into the Chasm, and she clenched her eyes shut. _Wake up._

She sat up, gasping for dear life, sweaty, warm palms clenching her wrist and another forcing her shoulder down. For a moment she panicked, wrist trying to come undone from its hold but then she came to the eyes of Tobias. "You good?"

She panted, nodding slowly at him.

He sat back on the chair, and slowly Georgia brought herself to sit up with her arms wrapped around herself lightly. Tobias scratched his brow with his thumb and exhaled, he looked to the monitor then back to Georgia who looked like a child fearing the thunder outside. "You were in there for eight minutes." He mumbled, "It hasn't changed. Yesterday or the day before."

Georgia leaned her head back, "How many more times do we have to this before the final?"

He shook his head, "Three? Four?"

She sighed, rubbing her eyes. "So much for sleeping." She scoffed, sitting on the edge of the seat on the other side to stand.

"Try to get some sleep."

She stood up slowly, steadying herself to stand. "No promises." She opened the door, rubbing her neck and moving through the empty room now. Being the last to take it, requested to really, she followed along the halls where everyone had wandered into the cafeteria for lunch. She didn't feel right for the cafeteria, so she decided it was best to clear her head.

Brushing past a few Dauntless, she'd turned the corner to the right side of the wall the same moment some one else was. Colliding she glanced up, "Sorry." They said quicker than her, and she met their eyes.

Derek brushed past her with a stiff look, and she'd watched him disappear around the corner. In confusion, she shook her head and doubled checked if that did just happen. It did. Pushing the door open to the training room, she looked around finding it empty. Sighing, she was already toeing off her shoes for the mat and sunk to her knees before rolling onto her back. Rubbing her temples, she took a moment to herself. It was a moment too quickly gone.

"Some workout there."

She sat up on her elbows, looking until her eyes came to the pull up bar where, _surprise,_ Eric was fixing the wrapping on his knuckles.

"I thought the training room was for training. Not laying around."

She stared, "So says the guy standing around under a pull up bar not doing a thing."

He nodded slowly. "How's the trials?"

"Why?"

He turned to the bar, hooking his hands over the top. "Figured it was a bit hard for someone like you." He hooked his ankles together as he lifted himself up.

"Like - an _Amity."_

"You said it. Not me." He huffed.

She sat up, "Why am I even talking with you?"

"Why _are_ you?"

She squinted her eyes, "God, you're persistent." She whispered, turning her back to him as she closed her eyes, and set her back straight. Evening her breathes, like she were meditating, she relaxed her shoulders.

"What in hell are you doing?"

She opened her eyes, and glared forward. "Minding my business, and you are doing _what_ exactly?"   
He clicked his tongue, " _Thick."_

"What?" She looked over his shoulder. "What'd you just call me?"

He let himself down, "I said _thick._ As in _stiff,_ _bone-headed_ _, moronic, half-witted, dimwit."_ He started unwrapping the band's around his hand, "Actually, I think I just found you a new name." He smirked, " _Witt_ y. Fits your personality."

She raised an eyebrow, "You know what people say about people like you? That you're the one who's bone-headed. Because you go around, picking and prodding people, and stepping all over them. But one day, you'll be scared, because everyone's afraid of something. It might not show, but it's there. Under everyone's skin, and the worse thing in the world is in the back of your head because you keep it there in the dark." She grabbed her shoes, "Can you see as clear as you think you do? Or is it all just smoke and mirrors in your head too?" She pulled the training room door open, "But don't shoot me, I'm just the messenger." She closed the door behind her. With a pounding heart, she hurried away from the door and towards the crowded cafeteria.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aye, Ayh here! Chapter update after so long. Oops. :) Enjoy.

The Dauntless came to a stop in the road, "Alright. We'll take a break here." Called Tobias as everyone spread out to find a seat somewhere. "Hey," he sided beside Georgia, "How'd you sleep?"

"Went to bed at nine, and fell asleep at one." She pressed her lips together, "Couldn't be any better." She deadpanned.

He scoffed, patting her shoulder. "You'll be okay. When this is all over and done, you'll have enough time to relax before getting back out there. It'll hurt now, and believe me, it will - but you have to keep going like you always have."

"That's what I'm afraid of." She mumbled. "Getting back out there, in the city, in the crowds." She shook her head, "I almost forgot about the world until now again, how much work is it just to stand on two feet with a clear mind."

"Don't push yourself. Hey, _don't_." They looked at each other, and she nodded.

"Okay." She sighed, "I'm fine. I'm fine." She assured herself, and looked up to Tracey hanging around with Diana.

He glanced over, and back. "What ever happened to the impossible trio?"

"The fight is what happened." She sat down on a fallen pillar of the bridge. "I have this feeling she's mad because she's one of the last ones, for missing out on the Flag game and me knocking her out."

"It's been a good week since."

"Yeah, I know. I'm just giving her time, ya' know? Let her cool off, last time I tried negotiating with someone I was threatened."

"Who?"

"Well, not _threatene_ d, but the glare sure felt like it." She paused, "I said a few things to Eric about his 'act', and I sort of left the room, and basically busted a lung running away when the door closed."

"What?" He laughed. "When? Wait - today?"

"Yesterday, after the simulation. I'm guessing being under the influence of the serum, I do some crazy things." She joked.

He shook his head, chuckling. "You're crazy."

"And he gave me a name. Instead of _Amity,_ I guess I'm _Witty_ to him now."

"Witty?"

"He said it matched my personality, I'm guessing it wasn't in the humor way either. _Witty_ as in _dimwi_ t."

Tobias shook his head, "Wit." He smiled, "I like to think of it as _sharp-witted_. Suits you better."

"Thanks." She said sarcastically, "Makes me feel better about my nickname, instead of my _actual_ name."

He chuckled, and looked to the Dauntless who'd caught their breathes, and were talking with each other. Georgia smiled to Reggie who was pointing out to something in the halls of an empty building to Paul, and she waved back. "Alright. Time to get these entertainers on the road." He clapped, "Up on your feet, we'll catch the train along the way."

Georgia stood up, already jogging out behind Tobias and Reggie coming beside her. "Guess what I heard?" She sing songed. "They're having a little celebration for the final trials."

"The final trials aren't until a few days."

"They're just making up a reason to get beer into the headquarters." Tobias said over his shoulder.

"Sounds like a good plan to me anyways, huh Georgia? Free beer?" She nudged her side.

"Georgia?" He slowed at their pace, "Your name?"

"Yes, my actual name. You do know we have those right?" She teased.

"You don't look like a _Georgia_."

"And you don't look like you're paying attention." Reggie called just as Tobias rounded a bridge pillar quickly, they snickered as he came back up beside them.

He glanced at her, and she laughed. "Laughing at me?"

"What's there _not_ to laugh at?"

 

He shoved into her, and she was sandwiched between them. Going to shove him, he quickened his pace, and she chased after him. Soon enough the group was turning into a line as the slower runners were behind and the faster ones like Tobias, Georgia, and Reggie were up front leading. Every time Tobias glanced back he'd laugh as Georgia and Reggie got closer to his running, the train turning around the corner in the distance as they ran closer. Jumping up to catch a cross beam, Tobias quickly started climbing with the two behind him. The train whizzed by and some Dauntless were still staggering behind. Laughing as they climbed in competition, they huddled up on the rails beside the train and Tobias was the first to jump on. Shoving the door open, he held his hand out to pull them up. Not long after did the other Dauntless jump onto the last carts.

 

Breathless and hammering hearts, they were bent over their knees and panting for dear life with small beads of sweat on their foreheads. Manage a breathless laugh Reggie stood and watched the blue of buildings pass, Georgia looked away from the still teasing Tobias to the open door. The buildings soon vanished for a bit to show the span of the landscape near the skirts of the Wall, stories tall and bulky. She stared at the land behind it, and her heart pinched in the tiniest way. Stepping by the doorway as well, Tobias stared out to the Amity farms as well, patting her back. With a knowing stare at each other, he nodded and walked off to the connection between carts to get back to the others. Reggie stepped in the doorway and smiled, the air whisping her hair about, and she looked completely happy. Smiling from Reggie's radiance, they walked to the other carts, and got back to Dauntless territory.


	5. Chapter 5

Georgia looked up at the huddling figure that sat down in front of her, and the little fear in her grew immensely. Eric stared her in the way with an amused silence, and Reggie beside her was too warped into talking with some others she didn't realize the room tense up. The hair behind her ear fell in her face and she pushed it back, "Hi." She said stiffly.

He grabbed the food along the table, "How was your run?"

She furrowed her brow, "Fine? Look, is there some things you want from me?"

He pursed his lips, shaking his head. "No. Nothing at all."

And his tone wasn't settling, she skewed her jaw to the side a moment before putting it back in place. "Look, I don't know what this is, some _social_ expirement you like doing or some game - I'm not sure what's up your sleeve, but let's get this clear. You and me, we're neutral. I'm not going to argue with you, you don't argue with me, we don't fight, and all's well and fair."

He glanced around a moment, "Sure." He mumbled, sipping his water.

She stared, "Sure? That's it?"

He shrugged. "Is there more?"

She scoffed, she covered her eyes with her hand, and missed the smirk playing on his lips.

"Hey _Amity,_ you up for tonight? You ditched out last time when you won the Capture the Flag. You have to come this time." Said a Dauntless she'd remembered as _Slick,_ he was sharp minded and quick. His real name is Alex.

"I don't know, I've got things."

"What's better than a few drinks and fun? Come on." He held his hand out. "You're in?"

She ignored Eric's staring over his cup, and laid her hand on Alex's. "Whatever you say _Slick."_

"Alright." He cheered, cupping her shoulders giving them a squeeze. "That's more like it." He laughed, walking off along the table.

She smiled, and glanced to Eric. She turned her eyes down, "Something on my face you're concerned about?"

Eric pressed his lips together, "Nothing." He smirked into his cup.

Staring at him, she shook her head and focused on her meal while listening to the conversation Reggie was having, surprisingly Paul engaged into it too.

 

When the time had come, Georgia was sneaking out of the half empty dorm room and down the hall towards the cafeteria. It was quieter than she'd expected, looking over the rail she paused. There was more than enough people to hear from down the hall, tens and twenties of them, and yet they were mumbling quietly to each other. Not a single beer in sight, she came down the stairs spotting Alex.

 

He turned to the attention of his turning friends, "Hey, _Amity._ You came." He hooked her under his arm.

"Yeah. What's going on here?"

"Well, instead of drinking, we thought it'd be better to host a tally on which options to choose from." They were walking along the room towards the middle.

"What options?"

"Just sit. Let the big guys have at it."

She sat down beside people she didn't know, but focusing her attention on Alex stepping up on the table in front of her the feeling subsided and the room silenced.

"In honor of the initiates passing their physical test, _and_ three weeks in Dauntless rule," he smiled, "We've come to recognize the importance of them, and want to welcome them into this ceremonial day as well." He held his arms out, "Initates, we formally welcome you now to the soon to be Dauntless membership. Stand up and honor in your name." He turned, looking down at Georgia. Holding his hand out to her she glanced at it then took it as she stood.

Diana stood up in the room of thirty Dauntless, Paul in the middle of the corner, and Reggie as well. The Dauntless hooted and whistled, clapping, soon settling down after when they'd sat down.

Alex put his hands up, "In favor of their enlistment, three options are set up." He turned slowly. "We could stand around and get drunk off our asses, or we could go out and do something."

The Dauntless screamed at that.

Alex smirked, "Alright! Two options then!"

They went quiet.

"We go out into the city, and we have a little climbing contest."

The Dauntless boo'ed the idiotic idea.

Alex raised his shoulder, "Or we play - _Tail."_

The Dauntless banged their fists against the tables, and yelled. Alex smiled, waving his hands down to the howling crowd.

"All in favor of climbing?"

They boo'ed.

" _Tail?"_

 

It was like something uncanny, they started lowly banging their fists against the tables, and stomping until it got louder. Chanting _Tail, Tail, Tail._ Louder and louder until Alex's smile reached his high cheekbones, and he nodded. At that the room howled and screamed, Alex looked down at Georgia's confused and furrowed expression. He nodded reassuringly, but looking along the room to the other iniates - they had the same expression, but fear smudged all over. They didn't know the game or haven't even played it yet, and they already fear it.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aye, Ayh here! Chapter update! Enjoy. :)

Alex held out a blue neon Flag to Georgia.

"Sheesh. How many of these things do you have?" Reggie asked, holding the orange one they'd used during the Capture the Flag, Paul holding the yellow one, and now the blue one in Georgia's hands.

"We have plenty of these suckers." He held out a green one to Tracey further in the crowd, "We just don't use them all."

"Why do we get them and none of you?" Tracey asked, "What is this? Some kind of trick game?"

"It'll all come in good measures. Don't rush it. Let it happen, breath in," he inhaled deeply, "And out." He exhaled, "Simple."

"What are the rules of this game anyways? What's the goal?"

"It's simple. He called out. This is like Capture the Flag, but - _rougher."_

"Rougher?" Paul choked, "Is this some sick game or something? I want out."

The problem was - they were already heading to the Chapel and the carnival. They were on the train.

"What? You're chicken out now? I thought you were _Dauntless."_ He teased.

"Come on, this game sounds unfair. How are we supposed to capture three flags?"

"You don't." He stepped back, "We do."

Georgia stood quiet, not by choice. Her voice was lost in her throat, and her stomach felt like it was gaping into her toes.

"The objective of this game is to simulate real life scenarios, and I'm surprised they havent put it into initiation yet. I like this more than that crap tag game. The goal is for us to get the flags from you four, and for you four - the objective is to protect the Flag and get it to the city. In the city, there is an school yard. Get there and raise the Flag on the pole, and - you win."

"There's a catch right? There has to be a catch." Tracey said.

He smirked, "A few old friends will be dropping by."

The four looked to each other and fear spread through their eyes, the Dauntless turned to the doors, pulling them open.

"Ready to jump!" He yelled ad the Dauntless yelled back a grunt of agreement.

The four looked at each other again, and froze. What'd they get themselves into?


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy. :)

Reggie peeked her head over the bench of the street side, Paul scanned around the street, and Georgia and Tracey both hid in the dark of a corner as much as the could. "What's this all about anyways?" Paul whispered, "Why's it called _Tail?"_

"How am I supposed to know?" She whispered back, "Pay attention." He pointed to the street, "On the way here, we passed a school yard. It has a flag pole, but it's at the top of the school."

"They expect us to climb up?"

"This game is crazy. What'd we end up doing?"

"I don't know about you idiots, but I'm splitting up. Whatever is going on, it can't be good." She tucked the Flag further into her sleeve from sight and ducked down the dark Street.

"Tracey!" Reggie whispered.

"Let her go, she'll only cause us trouble anyways." Paul waved her off. "We need to think of a plan. Navigate our way through the buildings, yeah?"

"We don't know these buildings. There could be asbestos or something we shouldn't inhale. The buildings might come down on us."

"Right, right." Paul looked to Georgia, "What do you think we should do? You won the Capture the Flag game, you should help us too."

"None of us even know the aspects of the game, we're going in head first. It's not going to be good. I can tell you that."

Georgia looked up and down the empty Street.

"The school yard is probably only about three streets down or something. Take a few streets down and then a left, it was along the rails."

Paul nodded, "Yeah. Yeah. We should follow the rails. That'll be a good idea. We need to think smart, but stay out of sight too."

"Agreed." Reggie looked to the railway two streets over, "Think we should just run for it? Climb the rails or run under it."

"If we run at floor level, people might see us."

"We don't even know where they are."

"And that's what's scary." He shivered.

"Pay attention. This is no time for chickening out, you get yourself together."

Paul nodded looking to the street, "Alright. So what's the plan? Just run for it?"

Georgia looked around to the buildings, a creeping feeling of the darkness wasn't pleasant. She scanned the buildings slowly, watching every broken and open window.

"I think we should zig zag. You know? Like the old marine ways."

"Yeah, yeah. That sounds good. So, the bench across the street, to the lamp post of the corner, and then to the railside."

"Exactly."

Paul looked to Georgia, "Sounds like a good plan. Georgia, you ready? Georgia?" He looked in the direction where Georgia was looking. The second floor of a tall building made her stare longingly at it, not in wonder but in observation. Reggie looked too.

"Guys?"

A flare went up. "Move in!" Objects sliced through the air, and they started ducking towards the rails.

Glancing back they looked at bobbing flashlights and glow sticks of the Dauntless, they moved like their life depended on it, and following under the darkness of the rails the bobbing lights lessened as a section of them parted into the passing Street.

"They're separating!" Paul yelled, pushing himself faster as the lights seemed to become brighter behind them.

"Keep the flags from them! We need to split!" Georgia yelled.

"No!"

"It's the only way! Go!" On command, Reggie turned left under the rails and off down the street away from the school yard and rails.

Paul and Georgia kept running straight, and glancing backwards, they'd gotten closer. "This way!" Paul said, tugging them down the next street, ducking into the doorway of a building. They stood quiet with their black clothes against the darkest corners.

"Where'd they go?" Alex called.

"They're around here." Someone said.

"Find them!"

The Dauntless scattered moving along the street, and the other half of the team came around the corner. "They're around here! Find them!"

They moved purposely along the street, flashlights bobbing around as they soon got closer to where Paul and Georgia were hiding. With hammering hearts, the flashlight came over their spot.

"They went in here!" Someone yelled, looking to the kicked open door of an abandoned building.

"Well get in there. Move it!"

Paul and Georgia were running up the exit stairs, looking over the railing as they skipped steps. Coming to a door labelled roof, she shoved it open and slammed it closed behind them. They panted and gasped for air, leaning on their knees.

"What the hell is going on? This isn't a game! This is a damn hunt!" Paul gasped, "We're going to die."

"We're not going to die. This is a game. Games end." She looked over the ledge, a building ladder connected the two buildings. "Come on, we have to keep moving. I see the school in sight. It's just a few streets over."

Paul started to whine and throw a fit as she was climbing down.

"Listen to me, if you don't get down this ladder with me - I will leave you behind!"

He was quick to move when he heard voices on the stair well, they started to hurry along the ladder, onto the next roof, and the next. When they were two buildings away, the roof door came open with a slam and the Dauntless poured out. Paul had just gotten down and Georgia was just readying to.

"There they are!" Alex yelled, and the Dauntless started after them. Disregarded the ladder, some of them landed on their feet off the next building with a roll.

"Move. Move! _Move!"_ She screamed, and they hurried along the next roof.

Shots fired past them, and they covered their heads ducking for the roof door of the last building of the street. "What do we do!"

She grabbed a heavy stone off the ground, pounding it against the knob of the door, and pulled the damaged door open. "We keep moving! Come on!" She grabbed his hand, running down the stairs. Skipping three to four steps a time, the voices and feet came along the doorway flights up.

Shots fired down by the railing and they huddled by the walls, a shot fired and landed between the two. They looked back. _Darts._ "Go! Go!" They heard Alex yell. "Don't let them get away!"

 

Coming to a door at the bottom, Georgia ripped the door open and came out to a wide business building entrance room, running for the glass door she didn't bother pushing it open. Coming to a full sprint, she covered her eyes and face and smashed through the glass. It shattered down as Paul covered his face as well, they didn't have a second of breath to waste. They took off running, a few Dauntless who'd patrolled the entrance moved into action. Paul and Georgia were out of breath but their adrenaline kicked in them, and told them to run faster. Just a street over, the church came into sight. A small patrol of three Dauntless guarding the fenced area.

 

"What're you doing?"

"Run around the school until there's an opening in the fence. Go!" She yelled, and they seemingly sprinted faster. The Dauntless guarding were instantly alerted as a flare went up behind the two and they pointed their stun guns towards the running two.

They shot their darts, missing every one of them, Paul and Georgia turned right when the end of the school's end came into sight. The following Dauntless still on their tails.

"We need to just get in there. The fence is short enough, if I can hoist you in and run off I'll buy you some time out here to put up the Flag."

"No-."

"Do it!" She yelled, bringing him close to the fence and the moment there was a break in the fence, she cupped her hands, and he stepped up. Jumping up and catching the fence, he got over and she took a run as the Dauntless caught sight of her.

"There she is!"

She took a run for the building directly behind the school yard, and she'd come into the old plumbing building that used to function. "Please be my luck." She tossed the basement door open, she closed it behind her securely and sped down the stairs in the dark, there had to be an emergency flare around some where. A red box sat on the wall, old hose and axe in the way, she felt around and to her happiness - there was a flare. Skidding it against the rough stone and it lit like a match.

 

Looking around the room, she panted and moved towards the fenced yard where the generators stood. God, she hoped there was a kick left in it. Looking to the buttons and empty pins on dials, she panicked looking around. What does she do? She wants the pipes moving, something for background noise. The basement door opened, and she panicked. Putting force into pulling down a rusty lever, it made a loud screech, and some dials even seemed to reach it's maximum number. The pipes fogged, and some broken pipes loosened enough to force down oxygenated water, and freezing water even dripped in some spots.

 

"Thank you." She whispered and in desperation. She needed to hide somewhere.

"Come out, come out, wherever you are." Chanted a Dauntless. "Those pipes don't turn themselves on." He crept closer to the fenced generators. The flare lit up on the floor, and he picked it up giving a smirk to the remaining object. "I know you're down here." He followed further into the halls of the dark basement with the flare in hand.

Georgia kept quiet on her little space above the pipes, a grate made especially above head level to correct pipes and wires that ran along the ceiling. He had yet to look up, she pivoted slowly on her toes as he came back up the way and had put the flare down to aim his stun gun at the opening under the stairs.

"Come on _Amit_ y, you're in here."

Georgia slowly lowered herself from the ceiling, her feet sticking the landing quietly, and she stood behind him. Taking a step forward, the pebbles under her feet sounded and he turned immediately. Shooting a dart, she ducked, and slammed his back against the floor. Tangling the gun from his hands, it fired again and shot him in the chest. He groaned, holding his chest. Taking his gun, she snickered.

"Thanks for this." She waved it and started quietly up the stairs.

"She upstairs?"

"No. But the back door's open, she ran out definitely."

"Alright. Move out, find the other one, and the kid too. Ethan, let's move!" He yelled in the direction of the cracked open basement door. Ethan didn't answer back. "Ethan!" He yelled again, and the signal was taken.

 

The group steadied their guns at the door, and he walked closer to the door. In a sudden round of shots, the four Dauntless in sight of the cracked open door were shot in the leg down, and they collapsed to the floor. The door came swinging open and a crouched Georgia poked around the door getting another down, with a few weeks out she'd gotten the last two. The room was filled with groans and moans, Daniel among the crowd watched her take another's gun, and swapped it out for hers.

 

"Who even are you?" He groaned.

She looked over her shoulder. "My name's not _Amity._ Call me _Wit,_ it fits me." She smirked, leaving the door way and across the street. Hauling herself over the fence, she landed in waist high grass. Ducking down, she crept along until her face was hidden by a level of grass and weeds.

"There's one other left, the _Amity."_ She heard Alex say. "These guys didn't stand a chance."

The guys laughed, and Georgia looked to the pipe on the side of the building. It was a good climbing spot, and moving along - she didn't give much thought.

"Check the building again, see what's taking them so long. We have to be back in headquarter by ten, it's fifteen minutes until."

It was quiet again, and she moved slowly up the pole. Finding grip on the rusted parts under it, she kept her goal simple. Get to the roof. It was squared off, but possible. The pole cut off a foot down from the roof into the building but she didn't mind, peeking over the roof top she could see two Dauntless by the front of the building on the roof. Their backs towards her.

 

Slowly, she pulled herself up and willed that the gravel on the building be quiet. Putting one foot down, she aimed er gun at one of their backs. With a steady breath, she shot one and quickly the other as he was turning around. Without knowledge, a creeping Dauntless had rounded the back and the moment she shot - they did. It jabbed into her thigh, and she helped to the firing pain. Pulling herself onto the roof, she cupped her thigh and groaned out. The voices were echoing under the hatch of the roof, with all the will power she had - she pulled herself up to her hands and knees, and soon her feet. Pulling the Flag from her sleeve, she limped towards the Flag pole. The hatch came open, and she clicked the Flag on. A dart was shot at her calf, and she yelled out in pain. Falling to one knee, she tugged at the chain again and the Flag raised higher. Another dart shot her arm, and batting it off her arm she fell on her back huddling in on her injuring, and numb limbs.

 

The Flag was raised. She won.

 

The numbness wasn't natural, it was growing, and taking over her leg and her shoulder and hand. The shadowing figures got closer, and their muffled voices sped up in a flurry of instant changing emotion. Her body was hoisted up from the gravel, and all she could see were stars. How bright and beautiful they were, how much they did come down to greet her, and blur in her eyes. The voices turned into screams, and all was too numb to notice. She just looked at the stars and smiled.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :)

Soothing hands ran through her hair, and she pushed into the comforting touch. She felt light, like she'd been in the water too long, and her body was floating. All sensory cut off, but this soft combing of her hair. The gentle fingers smoothed over her cheek, and back into her hair. With fluttering eyelids, she slowly opened her eyes and stared at the white ceiling and lighting coming into the window. Slowly, she turned her head to her kind stranger. It was no stranger. Gin stared her back in the eyes, smiling warmly.

 

Her heart started to pick up, and she tried to speak. 

"Shh," Gin stroked her cheek, "It's okay. You're okay."

Georgia's eyes filled with tears, and her lips quivered. She shook her head lightly as Gin sat seemingly calm beside her bed, she always was so calm and happy.

"It's okay. You're safe now."

Georgia's tears fell, "I'm sorry." She croaked, shaking her head. "I'm sorry." She sobbed lightly.

"I know. It's not your fault." She put her hand over Georgia's, and she missed the warmth so much. "It's no one's fault."

She shook her head, letting the tears fall. "I'm sorry, Gin." She cried, "I wasn't supposed - to leave."

"I know." She hushed, "It's okay. Go back to sleep. You need sleep." She leaned up, kissing Georgia's forehead. "You need peace."

"I need _you."_ She cried, holding her hand as tightly as she could.

"Sleep," she stood. "I'll be here when you wake."

"No. Please." She begged, taking Gin's hand in both of hers.

Gin placed her hands on her stomach, "Sleep." And said again, leaving the bedside, moving slowly to the door.

"I'm sorry Gin." She sobbed, "I'm sorry I let you down."

Gin stood between the door, her smile want and pleasing. "It's okay. You're safe now." She repeated, bowing her head as she closed the door, Georgia pressed her hands to her face.

A tear slipped down her face. With light fingers, Tobias wiped it away and watched Georgia's pinched and quivering face only tremble lightly. He sat back in his chair, hitting at his nails, and Eric pushed back the curtain of the infirmary. Crossing his arms over his chest, he shook his head. "How did this even happen!" He muttered.

Tobias shook his head lightly. "I don't know. All I know is that I woke up not even thirty minutes ago, kids banging on my door, telling me about an initate being in the infirmary."

Eric grit his teeth, "Jeanine is going to have our ass." He muttered, "I want everyone who was in this, and I want them lined up in the morning. This -," he jabbed his finger at Georgia, "Is not okay!"

"She had an allergic reaction to the darts, Eric. What do you expect?" Lauren said in the corner by the door. "The kids were a little adrenaline crazy, you need to discipline them for their own individual action. Some of them were the victims, you know."

"Dauntless are meant to make smart decisions, not meat head, brainless things like this. Running around town, pining initates for a hunting game?" He pointed at Georgia, "This - this is what I'm talking about."

"About what? The kid's in an allergic reaction, and you're pointing fingers at her?"

"She's mindless. If she'd followed the rules, she would've never had stepped out of line."

"So what do you want us to do? Report to Jeanine and tell her that the Dauntless leaders weren't doing a good enough job training these kids what's right and wrong, and they we need a new one some where else in the factionless districts? You want to tell him that!"

"A good soldier listens."

"But a good soldier lies every once in a while to keep the peace." There was silence, "If there's one thing that has to be learned here is that good people aren't the culprit, it's the knuckle head people who change and influenced them into something like a monster that are the problem. If you have anyone to blame it's those kids, not these." He gestured to the others who'd been in the room.

Reggie, Tracey, and Paul all lined up in chairs with bandages wrapped around their arms or legs from scraps and cuts beside  Lauren. They had their eyes to the ground, fear of looking up.

Eric looked to the kids, then to Tobias. He nodded slowly, mouth shut. "We'll deal with this in the morning." He said calmer, "Until then - find out what happened."

Tobias nodded and Eric moved towards the door, Lauren waved the kids along as she held the door open. Looking back to Tobias, she stood in between the door and hall. "You coming?"

"In a bit." He put his hands on the rail at the foot of the bed.

Lauren looked to the sleep induced Georgia. "You were right about those kids, they're easy to influence. But if we just had a little more time - We'd be able to correct them."

He stated at Georgia. "Good night." He said to Lauren, and she nodded leaving the doorway.

 

Rounding the bed, he sat down in the chair beside the bed, and leaned forward on his knees. With his hands laced in front of his lips, he watched Georgia's now still facial expression. Dried tears streaked down her temples were now sticky, and her wild hair a mess on the pillow under her head. Sitting back, he sighed running his hands over his face. There was so much hope, but now had sunk half way down. She too wouldn't escape this as any of the other initates, consequences will still be stiff with her being involved with the event. Closing his eyes, he clenched his jaw, and settled down with his arms across his chest. This wouldn't end well.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aye, Ayh here! It's been a while and through all the business, I thought I'd update a few things. :) Enjoy.

Georgia slowly opened her eyes and instead of the light room, with windows, and free moving air she came to in a curtained off section of the infirmary, the room was dim, and she could feel the twitching and wrapped gauze on her body. Slowly rising up with all the force she could, she exhaled pent up breath, and pushed the blanket. Pressing her palm to her forehead she slowly slipped her feet onto the cold floor, and pushed aside the curtains. The metal rings made a loud clinking noise, and she took slow steps heading for the door.

 

"Going somewhere?"

She turned her attention to the sitting Dauntless in the chair with his arms crossed over his chest, and legs crossed at the ankle.

"You've been out for four hours and you're ready to go already." He scoffed. "What's in that rabbit food you eat?"

She stared at him, and let out a staggered breath rubbing her eye. "What time is it?"

"Late morning." He pointed to the bed side. "You missed something. Nurse's orders."

Looking to the desk, she saw a cup of water and a clear pill beside it. Walking over to sit down on the bed, she picked up the cup of water. Mumbling over the cup, she stared at the ground. "Am I in trouble?"

"Should you be?"

She gulped back the pill and water, "That's - kind of what I'm asking you." She looked to him, then back to her cup. "I should probably take it easy."

"Sure."

She stared, "Sure. _That's it?"_

"Sure."

She stared him dead in the face, "The next chance I get the stun gun, I'm not shooting Four twice. I'm shooting him once, the other ones for you." She deadpanned, but joked.

He smirked, but dropped it. "I heard about that. Heard you got him good."

"Shot to the arms, thought if one was immobilized the other would still be useful." She sat back with her back against the bed post.

"Thinking like a soldier." Eric nodded.

She shook her head, "I'm not a soldier."

"You're not?"

She shook her head again, "I'm not. Never was." She scoffed, "I woke up every day at seven, grazed crops, took care of kids, and sung songs skipping around a tree." She shook her head, "I never thought of being a soldier."

"Prancing around trees and babysitting." He teased, "Surely sounds like a soldier."

She smiles lightly, "Don't laugh at me. I was clueless then."

"To?"

"To - another person's lifestyle, to different scenario's. I mean, I've seen enough kids having tantrums but not fistfights?" She shook her head, picking at the gauze around her arm. "It's a whole new world out here, and every faction is oblivious to every single one of them. It's scary, but I think that - facing your fears and standing up for something you believe is the most important. Even if you're the only one standing."

He nodded his head slowly, pressing his lips together. "You never fail to out do your name, _Wit."_

She rolled her eyes, "Where's the chair eject button when you need it." She joked, looking to the monitors and buttons.

Lightly, he laughed in his chest. Shaking his head, he readjusted his arms. "You know, you're _f_ _riends_ \- they came down here quite a lot."

"They did?" She sat up.

"Sent the kid off a bunch of times."

"Paul," she scoffed, "he means well. Everyone ignores him, and pushes him around."

"That why you punched that kid in the face?"

"Partially." She sat back, "I guess it's time to confess my sins, although you're not the god I was looking for, you're something of the opposite really," she gestured and he smirked. "A few things that he said set me off. I don't know what did it the most. The fact he'd always bothered me with out reason or maybe it was the fact that he said I had no family." She picked at the blanket, "I'll be straight forward with you, when I was a kid, maybe around four - my parents died. My mother had cancer and my father died of grief no matter how many people convinced him to let go of his demons."

She went on.

"When they died, people told me to move on and as cruel as it sounds they told me to forget about them, that I was better off without pain of remembering. So I grew up, and the faction treated me like family. To have someone come into my life, unwanted, telling me I never had a family - it dug up some unfinished weight I'd lied about not having on my shoulders. I was such a good liar I fooled myself." She scoffed, "I let anger get me, and I hit him. But - the funny thing is when I did it, sometime ago, I saw him again and he didn't look me in the eyes. He was scared."

She paused to glance up, his eyes watching every move.

"If I become a leader, I don't want to become a dictator or a _tyranny_." She shrugged, "I want to be able to speak with people without them looking away in fear."

"You can't have everything."

"No, but you can try to have just one more thing you can't." She looked to her dirt filled nails. "I can't get the things I want right now, but I can wait for them. So - if I do fail the simulation tests I want someone to at least know, regardless of being a meat head," she joked, "That I wanted to try to overcome my fears."

Eric stood quiet, "You don't have to overcome them. You just have to live with them."

"Is that what you tell yourself? That you have to co-exist with your fears."

He shrugged, "Maybe."

She rolled her eyes, "One of these days I'll get a fully functional sentence out of you. One day."

He chuckled, finding comfort in the chair he sat in. She laid down on her side, pulling the blanket over her, and stared at the door.

"By any chance," she mumbled, "Did Tracey come in here?"

"The one you fought?" He went silent a while. "No. Don't worry about people like her. Like you said - Julius Caesar stood at the top of his game, and the people around him stabbed him. Don't be a _Julius Caesar_."

"Why?" She teased, "You worried about my health?"

"No," he shuffled in the chair, "I have bets on people. So don't lose."

Rolling over on her stomach, she laughed. "Sure. Right after I win vice president of the Capital." With the light thought in mind, she closed her eyes, and tried getting sleep. Not long after, she did.


	10. Chapter 10

This time when Georgia opened her eyes again, the pulled back curtains didn't showcase a Dauntless on the other side sitting on the chairs. Her cup beside the bed was disposed, and the room stood quiet. The nurses having been absent for a few minutes before, and as fluid as possible she slipped her shoes on and pulled on her jacket. Practically starving and thirsty, she opened the door to the halls and walked out behind a few mindless Dauntless who didn't pay attention to her. The nurses passing without knowledge of her there as well. Down the halls, back on what felt like sea legs, she came to the dorm rooms. Spotting the clock, it was the natural time she'd wake up. Something ticking off exactly at every six a.m. that woke her. She'd still help Kenith in the mornings, and sometimes at dinner, but he said he'd managed lunch by himself.

 

Sighing to the empty room, she'd have to settle with her clothes again before having to spend to get new clothes. Running the water hot in the showers, she dunked under the water slowly and it's never felt so good to be alone again, mellow in self comfort. Running her fingers through her hair, she pulled apart the small knots, and thought of cutting it. She'd never cut it short, trimming it she'd allowed herself to, but in Amity the children loved her long hair and she did too. She doesn't know why the thought came across her mind, it's never before. Combing through her hair some more, she started humming a song the older kid's had muffled together when they'd circle around the great tree on the farm.

 

" _The sun shines in the moon's wake,_  
 _But the stars will not have their love to take,_  
 _They will wallow and cry, only heaven knows why,_  
 _The sun and moon's love is undefined._  
 _Make them a love like braids of flowers,_  
 _And let them take morning, asteroid showers,_  
 _On the rocks of ice and the rocks of dust,_  
 _To make up for the love that they have lost. "_

 

Closing her eyes, she relaxed her shoulders. The bandages taken off of her arms and leg, the places where the infected injection itched, but she didn't care for it. Quick to pick up her clothes again and turn off the water, she walked down the halls to the cafeteria where the laughter and joy never ceases to amaze. Looking over the rail as she walked, she spotted Paul along the crowd, and felt herself smiling. He was like the brother she never had, Reggie as well, but she seemed like she were mature enough to be her older sister. Coming down the stairs, a few gazes turned to her passing between the tables. The chatter lessening.

 

Walking towards the table where Reggie and Paul were talking, she smiled widely when Paul's attention tuned to her. "Georgia!" He muttered, standing up and wrapping her in his arms despite the crowd.

Reggie stood as well, clasping herself into the hug. "We were so worried about you." She squeezed tightly.

Georgia muffled a laugh into Paul's shoulder, "I was only out one night," they pulled back, "I'm here now."

The talking around them seemed the cease entirely, and their gazes focused in on the trio.

"Everyone is talking about what happened." Reggie said quieter, sitting down with Georgia on the end. Paul sitting across.

"What do you mean? I'm fine now though-."

"Not just about you, about all of us and the guys who brought us along." She leaned even closer, "Supposedly - they're getting sent to the Capital to face the charges."

"Charges?" She glanced between them.

"Yeah. And sure enough, they're going to get the _pink slip._ All because of it." Paul shook his head.

"What he means is that - last night wasn't supposed to happen. That game they made up, it's a low down game where the initiates are tagged and the game isn't even called _Tail._ " She looked between her eyes, "The game was _Tail_ _the Divergent._ There never was a game called _Tail. Tail_ means _hunt._ _"_

"All we're saying is that - we could've died out there. And them chasing us through the city? It was all a set up to take us out of the initiate list, someone told them to do it. They weren't randomly assigning people."

Georgia sunk back into her spot, "Where'd you hear this from?"

"This morning. A report came in to the leaders, and some people over heard them." Reggie shook her head.

"Who?"

 

They hadn't realized that the cafeteria had quieted down a notch, as if listening in on their conversation. In realizing this, the three looked around as glancing eyes looked away. Georgia stared at the table, biting nervously at her bottom lip, and fidgeting with her fingers. All those people Alex, Daniel, all those Dauntless - put to trial and possible factionless because of some adrenaline rush and rave crazy from being inside too long? She couldn't believe it. Just hours ago she was in the infirmary, practically having a cup of tea with Eric, and now this? Things never matched up well enough.


	11. Chapter 11

"Get some sleep." Tobias said to Diana as she walked carefully out of the simulation room, and Georgia sat nervously on a chair in the now empty room. His eyes met hers, and he flashed with confusion. "What're you doing here? You're supposed to be in the infirmary."

She stood up, "Curtains and hospital beds aren't really my specialty."

"You didn't answer me. What are you doing here?"

She glanced around, as if it was obvious. "I'm going to take a simulation."

"You're unstable."

"I'm not." She frowned, "I got up today, feeling fine, and I feel fine right now."

"Georgia. You can't take this test. You're unstable, you suffered an allergic reaction yesterday, I don't want you in here. Now, go on." He waved her off, turning for the door. He glanced back seeing her standing there still. "Go back to the infirmary, I'm done here." Despite his batting, he left the door open to assess the monitors.

Stepping into the doorway, she leaned against the door.

He glanced up, "Can I help you with anything else-?"

"Let me take the test."

"-That's not about this room, this hall, or this test." He finished.

"Fine." She crossed her arms over her chest, "What happened to those people who were involved with the _Divergent_ game?"

He furrowed his brow. "I dont know what you're talking about. Nothing happened with them."

His eyes downcast to the monitors, distracting with them. "Look me in the eyes and tell me that."

"Look, enough, alright?" He looked at her, "Nothing happened with them, you're not taking the test today, and stop bothering me about it. Okay?"

She stared. "Okay." It sounded flat, and irritated.

He stared at her a moment before giving a huff and clicking together the needle and serum tube, having a moment he scratched his head, and looked at her. "You moving or what?"

Pushing herself off the door, she sat down on the chair, and pushed aside her drying hair. Gazing her eyes at the floor as the needle injected in her neck, she propped her legs on the chair, and took measured breaths. Tobias sat down in a stool by the monitors.

"You'll go up against some of your biggest fears here, and since you've just been in an event it may alter the simulation. Try to find a balance between control and focus." He mumbled, staring at the monitor.

She exhaled, "You know - if I can find a balance, what would I feel like?"

He turned in confusion. "Feel like?"

"Is it calm? Will I know when it's balanced?" She narrowed her fluttering eyes at him.

He looked like he was thinking, but instead he pushed back to the monitor. " _Be brav_ e."

 

Georgia opened her eyes to be standing in an empty office building, papers scattered about, telephones off their ringers, and desks toppled over. She looked around slowly, and walked up to the window. The dusty window stared impossibly close to the Capital, the Hub not far from sight, and she just stared without an ounce of fear or worry in her chest. The air felt cold, but she didn't mind it. The draft coming in didn't unsettle her, and neither did the broken and corroded wires hanging from the ceilings like vines and snakes. Touching the smooth glass, in the reflection something moved. A tinge of adrenaline dropped like a pin, and she was in action.

 

Turning around she elbowed the gun out of their hands, and when they'd swung up to hit her she pushed aside their hands, with a foot stomp to their knee they wobbled down on one knee and she brought her knee up to hit them in the face. They fell back, and hands grabbed her from behind. She tried to fight but soon hands were clenching at her ankles and her body was being hoisted into the air, her scream muffled against the gloved palm of their hand, and she was being brought along the room. Kicking and screaming, they disregarded her struggle and with a swing to the side she was dropped on the hard marble floor of a bright lit room. Slowly, she rose up to her feet and came up against her opponent.

 

Eric stood wide shouldered, and she exhaled. "Why?" She gestured in exasperation, "I don't even hate you."

 

But he was coming at her. Quickly ducking around his hands, she wrapped her arms around his neck from behind him and tugged down. The heel of his shoe came up to kick her, and she released him to stagger back. He turned to her, but then - it wasn't Eric. It was Daniel. He came at her tenfold, and without warning they'd collided in some way to the ground, his hands around her neck, and her hips forcing him at a distance away. With a second's delay, she reeled her hand in a fist inflicting pain on his face, and he howled to cover it with his hands. Giving a strong shove of a kick, he flopped back, and she quickly stood.

 

The room was empty. She was standing in the plain white room, long, and tall above her. White walls, shining white floor. No one. She braced for her next opponent, and nothing came. Or at least she didn't want them to.

"Georgia?"

She turned, ready to go. But - then it was lost. Gin stood there, little Jen in hand with her. Her heart was lost in Gin's sad expression.

"Georgia?" She said again, "What are you doing?"

She was speechless.

"Inflicting pain on others? Is that who you've become?"

Georgia shook her head frantically, "No-."

"And you've changed." She looked at Georgia like she was disgusted. "You've changed so much."

"I haven't." Georgia shed her jacket to the ground, "I'm still the same Georgia you know." She neared, "See? I haven't changed."

Gin stepped back in fear, pulling Jen with her. "You've changed." She said through grit teeth, "And every one knows it. Everyone can see how heartless you've become, how thirsty you are for blood and bone of another man."

"No, no. Listen." She came closer, and Gin pushed Jen behind her. "Listen-." She pleased.

"You're a _monster_."

The words felt like daggers to her heart, and sure enough she'd looked at her raised, pleading hands. Her knuckles bruised and cut, and turning them - her palms were bloody.

"You're going to kill all of us."

She looked back up to the whole Amity community, surrounding her in a circle. Blood on their necks and stomachs, bruised noses, and slashed arms. She shook her head. "No." She cried, "I would never." Tears welled in her eyes.

"You've already killed us. You just don't know it yet." Gin said, the eyes of the Amity looking dead and angry with blood dripping from their noses and mouthes. "You're the one to kill us all."

 

With blood matting her shirt to her stomach, she pulled it away from her skin in disgust and fear. Looking back to Gin with tearing eyes, Gin was no longer there. They were all scattered along the floor, blood puddles to their names. Georgia covered her mouth in a cry, helpless and broken, she shook her head. Looking down, Jen laid on the floor, blood cascaded her beautiful yellow and orange dress. Georgia kneeled down as Jen continued to gasp for dear life, Georgia picked Jen into her arms and brushed back the hair from her face. She stroked her face, smearing blood hopelessly on her cheek, she stared into her dying eyes.

 

"You.." She gasped, "killed.. Us.. All."

 

Georgia sobbed harder as Jen took her last suffering breath, and her head heavy head falling from Georgia's hands wracked a blood curling, heart broken scream from her chest. Screaming out into the empty room of red and white, and clenching tightly onto what's closest to her heart.

 

The walls started crumbling all around, the ceiling falling all around, and the bodies disappearing. The simulation was breaking. Stroking the hair out of Jen's face, she stared down as the pillars on every corner was falling with loud rumbles, and the floor shook like an earthquake. Closing her eyes, she held onto Jen tightly. She felt her heart lurch, and she felt a jostle of awakening. Her crying continued in her ears, but the dead weight in her hands vanished. A calming hand stroked her head lightly, and an arm around her neck. Through crying eyes, she could see a rushing figure stop in the doorway staring back at her, and another join in beside them.

 

Tobias soothed her, turning his eyes to the approached Eric and, behind him, Reggie. She covered her mouth, watching Georgia sob heart out. Closing her eyes again, Georgia sunk into his arms as he turned back to comfort her. She thought she would buried the hatchet, not her family.


	12. Chapter 12

"Are you sure?"

Georgia, with her feet hanging over the ledge of the Dauntless building, nodded silently.

Reggie pouted lightly, wanting nothing but to be able to wrap her in her arms and never let go until she's happy again. She leaned over, hugging Georgia so tightly with everything. She rubbed her arms, "I'll be in the Pit if you need me."

"Thank you." She cupped her hand.

Placing a gentle kiss on the top of her head, she headed back for the roof door, and glancing back she felt remorse for Georgia. Seeing her cry, sob, and scream. It echoed in the halls, and anyone from around corners could hear it. Closing the door behind her a crack, she wandered back down the stairs.

 

Georgia stared out to the City in the distance, the empty space,  buildings between them. The train had already made its run around minutes before and was now returning back to the City, the sun was setting dark shades of maroon and red across the sky, and the bird flying ahead were fluttering quickly to get back home for night where they'd bundle with their mates or chicks. The wind was light, and not a single noise but the birds and the hum of the train in the distance sounded. Outside Georgia was quiet, but inside was a raging storm.

 

It felt like her heart was pounding in a chamber, locked tightly, and the ship was rocking back and forth with each hammering wave. The lightning striking above, and the thunder hovering over every curve of the slashing waves that spat down on the ship, and run into every corner found. She was in sea salt sickness, and the ship was sinking. Looking down at her hands, she lightly pressed circles into the Forget-Me-Not's baby blue hues of pedals. The pedals still soft to the touch, but the stem long dry. Looking back out to the city, she found herself drawn towards the walls behind her. Amity on the other side. By now, the children would be called in and washed for dinner. They'd run into the Hub with grass stained toes, and dirt filled nails, flowers in their pockets, and fairies in their hairs that would wisp away with the wind.   

  
 _Fairies,_ the kids would call them, the small fluff's that would float in the air like insects, but mindless, and peaceful. In the spring, it seemed like thousands of them would flutter above. The kids would wave around dandelions and say _The fairies! Look! Look! They're going!_ And she would laugh, saying that they had things to do. Like sew lost buttons on people's coats, and feed the mice, and all sorts of seasonal things working along side the bees and hummingbirds. They were wondrous, and beautiful children that never ceases to amaze her with their neverending ideas. She found herself wondering if they were looking to the wall right then too, if they were wondering if she were okay and happy like she was. Turning her back again, she looked down at the flower and a piece of the stem fell off as it rolled down the side of the building and out of sight.

 

"Anyone ever tell you that jumping from high heights can kill you?"

She looked over her shoulder to Eric standing in between the open door and wall. She turned forward, "I'm not going to jump."

"You sure?"

"I'm sure." She shook her head, "Only hopeless people would jump. People who don't know where to turn to." She pointed to the city, "Out here, that's where I turn to. I see it, _ther_ e." She rested her elbows on her knees.

He nodded slowly, his hands behind his back as he looked along the rooftop.

She shuffled, turning half way to look in his direction. "I'm sorry you had to see that. Down there, in the room." She shook her head, "When Tobias said I'd face my fears, I didn't realize it would be _that_."

He only listened.

"I guess I didn't realize it until now."

"About what?" He said plainly, not in a curious tone but in a way he was engaged.

She looked to the city. "Well, _firs_ t, I was in this building. This office building and I was fighting these people." She said slowly, staring at the tracks. "And next thing I know I'm in this room - everything's white. And," she scoffed with a smile, "I faced up against you." She looked him in the eyes. "But the funny thing is - I used to be afraid of you, but now I'm not." She continued, her eyes drifting off, "And then I was fighting Daniel, and I gave him a beating. Next thing I know, I -."

She closed her mouth, lowering her head.

"I was standing there. Blood on my hands. Staring at the people I loved, torn from life." She said lifeless herself, "I'd killed Amity. And the one girl I loved," she frowned, "And she called me a monster."

The gravel moving didn't alarm her as Eric sat down on the ledge, one foot over, one foot on the roof.

Georgia looked him dead in the eyes where he'd sat with distance between them. "My fear one day is that I'd have to kill my family, and then live with the memory." She looked away, too pained to stare. "I thought that if I became Dauntless, that I'd protect them and be everything they needed. But instead, I fear myself because of who I became. The person I changed into to fit the mold of a new life, that's what she hated." She said in scorn. "That's who I hate. But I realized that I can't mold to everyone's expectations. You know? I can't be who everyone wants me to be."

She straightened her back, and took a breath.

"I want to be the person that will work things out with themselves, and only be something that I'm willing to agree with." She looked at Eric again. Not much emotion surfaced, but he was agreeing. She turned forward again, "I wander what's out there. Beyond the Factions and the wall."

He stood up, heading for the door. "We don't need to go out there."

"But don't you ever wonder? Like - want to see if there are other civilians out there?"

He opened the door, "No." He said, "But if it keeps you moving, _sure,_ keep dreaming."

She rolled her eyes, "I hate you."

"It's mutual." He smirked, and quirked an eyebrow before leaving the doorway. "Jump. It's good for your ankles." He teased.

"Why don't you? After all, ladies first!" She yelled and heard a little laugh fading off. Turning back to the city, she nodded to almost go in check with herself. Putting her feet on the gravel roof, she took for the door and glanced back one !ore time before closing it behind her.

The final tests were coming soon. There was so much to achieve in so little time.


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aye, Ayh here! It's been a while since I've updated it feels, so without further ado, enjoy. :)

"Listen up," called Tobias standing on a stone and marble block in the Pit, the mass of Dauntless and initiates standing in a mix the next morning. "Tomorrow is the final day for our initiates. Where the weak fall, and our strongest," he smiled lightly, "Join us."

Some Dauntless hooted but silence.

"Stage three is about mental preparedness. Take it as you will, and interpret it however. One thing is this - you will be standing in front of the leader of Erudite, Jeanine Mathews. I don't believe I have to repeat myself when I say that I don't want any funny business around here. This is serious and if you don't take it serious, well," he nodded, "I hope you like hell because I'm going to give it to you."

Some people laughed in humor.

"Take this last day to prepare yourselves, although - if you're truly ready for this I doubt you'll need it." He scanned along the room to the individual faces in the crowd. "Now. Who going to kick ass in the banquet?" He smiled, and they went ballistic with stomping and yelling. Hopping down from the stone, he angled his way through the crowd, and spotted Reggie first then the trio following around. "How's it going?"

"Good, good. A little freaked out." Paul mumbled.

"Don't be." He slapped a heavy hand on his back, enough to lose breath. "You'll be fine. Just remember what you learned and you'll be fine."

Reggie nodded, "I think I need to be fully invested in this. Full focus and concentration, like some soul meditation thing." She looked to Georgia, "You could totally help me with that right?"

"I'm pretty sure that is not how it works." Paul interjected.

"Did I ask you, sleeze ball?" She wrung him by the neck, giving him a warm, welcoming nuggie. She laughed in his struggle.

Georgia shook her head, and Tobias glanced to her. "You doing alright?"

"Yeah. I got a few things out of my system." She gestured in hard faced Eric's way by the entrance who listened to what Lauren was saying. "Godmother Eric granted me some time to read out another sob story."

He snickered. "Perfect choice of words."

"Thank you." She laughed, giving each other a little fist bump. They looked among the people, almost as if reading every little group there was to be. "I'll miss this place."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, if I don't pass. You saw what happened last time. I totally wiped out."

"What makes you so sure that you won't make it?"

She shrugged. "Everything I've once been sure about, everyone I've once believed that would make change, they've all been duds. That hope turned down, and I guess I just don't want to have false hope for things anymore. If I do pass, and end up here, for the rest of my young years," she scoffed, "I want to know for sure. Like, now."

"Well, do you feel it?"

"What? My stomach churning in unpleasant thoughts. Totally." She joked.

"No," he laughed, "Hope."

"Well, I never said I _never_ have it. It's just not strong."

"But do you hope you pass?"

She waved his finger at him, "Why don't you go and ask Eric Houdini that while I try not getting Paul killed by Reggie."

He chuckled, as she pulled the pair apart who'd drifted along the crowd and were now actively wrestling like there wasn't a surrounding crowd being pushed by their shoulders and elbows.

"Hey, hey, hey. Calm down you two." She patted their backs, and they lessened but their arms still tangled around each other's necks like vices.

"We're best buds, right, buddy?" She patted his shoulder roughly.

"Best buds." He patted her shoulder harder, and their thin lipped smiles were twitching and humorous.

Georgia shook her head smiling at them, and someone crashed into her. "Oop. Sorry." He said as she turned around.

Derek looked her in the eyes then looked down.

"Excuse me." He said, moving past her.

"Hold on." She called, pulling on his shirt sleeve and he turned around. She tried at a smile, "We're not still mad at each other, right? We're friends?"

He looked shocked, but confused. "Why?"

She still held a smile, "The more, the merrier. Plus, I feel like we picked up on the wrong foot. We got ahead of each other, and I just wanted to apologize for embarrassing you and punching you in the face."

He shook his head, "No, I'm sorry. My bullying was unnecessary, and I don't really know why I was doing it. Daniel was doing it, so I kind of joined in. I thought it was cool at the time, but it wasn't. And I'm sorry for ever saying those things to you."

She smiled, "I'll forgive you if you forgive me?"

He nodded, "Deal."

Holding out her hand, he met with a firm grip, and he smiled lightly.

"Good luck on the final test, I hope you do pass. We need people like you."

It was her turn to say "Why?"

He shrugged, "Because you're cool. You're still young but, I feel like you're already a leader here." He gestured to the arguing two, "You have a good team together, and you put ties together. Not many people can forgive someone who's bullied them since day one." He scoffed.

"Don't worry about it. It's all put in the past now." She held her hand out, "Let me introduce myself formally," she smiled, "Hi. I'm Georgia. People call me _Wit_."

He shook her hand, "I'm Derek, I don't really have a nickname."

"We'll think of one. People are good at finding nicknames for people."

"Sounds good to me." He pointed behind him, "I've got to go. My friends are meeting up."

"See you around?"

"Most likely."

"Most likely." She smiled, "Bye." She nodded and he turned with a small wave.

Turning back to Reggie and Paul, they'd started a conversation with Diana and Cameron, the first ranking initiate, and all seemed well. Watching from afar, the happy look on Reggie's face brightened just as Paul laughed, and Diana jabbed fingers with a joke that seemed too good to not hear. But for now, she wanted to look from outside of the glass box and admire what precious thing sat inside. This was her family. And she would hope that family was there to stay.


	14. Chapter 14

Reggie combed her fingers through Georgia's hair, Georgia stared up at the endless sky with her head in Reggie's lap. Paul sat down beside her and sunk against the ledge with a drink in his hand, and the sunset in their eyes. Cameron and Diana not far behind to line up with their backs against the ledge. The sky mixed with hues of orange, red, and pink. Magenta and yellow making an explosion of light at the twists of the sunset where the clouds hid the sun from their eyes. The fence in front of them, but not even a single complain about it obstructing the view. Reggie focused on the sky.

"I feel like - we haven't even been here for a while." She says aloud, "Like we were all in the Choosing Ceremony just yesterday."

"You know, I was thinking the same thing." Diana mumbles.

"This whole thing feels like a blurr. What are we doing with our lives?" Paul says.

"The question is : what did we do with our lives before this?" Cameron riddles and everyone chuckled.

"Thinking like a wise man, Cam. Already striving for old age?" Reggie teased, "A little Osteoporosis 'ought'ta do you good, yeah?"

"No." He laughed, "I'm good. Right here, right now." He pointed at the gravel, "This is probably the coolest I've ever felt."

"Hold on, not even when you ranked first? That's it on your top three coolest things?" Diana asked.

"No, I mean, it's cool but not -." He gestured out to the roof as if it were to mean something. " _This._ Sitting on a roof, soon to be Dauntless with you guys, watching the sunset like total bad asses."

"That does sound cool, now that you say it like that." Georgia said, and they laughed.

"This _is_ pretty cool, huh?" Diana mumbles.

"Do you think if one of us didn't pass the first round that it wouldn't be the same?" Paul asked.

"It wouldn't be the same." Reggie said.

"Yeah," Diana and Georgia agreed.

"What happens after? You know, after the whole ceremony? What do you think we'll do then?"

It was silent.

"There's jobs on the fence." Paul started.

"And I heard there's patrol in the city too." Diana added.

"Yeah, but - will we be together?" There was silence, "Will we be able to sit back like this and just get to talk to each other? Or will our lives turn into some kind of whirlwind, and we'll never get to have a chat with each other again without having worries about jobs or things?"

"I mean, I would hope so." Cameron said. "You guys are good people. I'd hate to never see you guys again or say _h_ i every once in a while."

"Me too." Diana said, "I want to do my job and still be able to get a conversation out of you guys and just have some fun."

"I don't want anything to change." Paul added.

There was silence and Reggie and Georgia didn't say a thing for a while.

"I wish," Georgia started, "I wish that, when we do pass, that things can change but just like that - we can go right back to the way it used to be. And when we want to get back to our lives, we can get back to it." She looked to the sunrise, "I want to be able to juggle things, and yet not have so much stress. Be a part of something big, something like - a revolution."

They laughed, knowing she was joking. "That'd be nice. The change part, a new revolution would be too risky."

"Agreed." Cameron laughed, "Not even Four or Eric could manage that."

They laughed at the light hearted commotion and at times they would fade back to silence, but in comfort. After a while, they'd got to their feet and climbed down the stairs into the Pit. But - Georgia wanted to do something drastic.

"She's right. We should put this last day to use, lose some stress and tension." Reggie said, "Anything in mind?"

"I vote for new clothes." Diana raised her hand.

"Vote one for clothes. Tattoos?"

Cameron raised his hand, and Reggie shrugged putting her hand up.

"One for clothes, two for tattoos, piercing anyone?"

Paul slowly raised his hand, and everyone seemed shocked. "What? I was thinking of getting something. It was either a hair cut or piercing, I kind of want one."

"Aw. How cute." Reggie teased, pinching his cheek.

"Actually," Georgia paused, "I wanted to maybe - get a haircut."

Everyone looked wide eyed. "Cut your hair? Why?" Diana asked.

"But it's beautiful."

"It's," she pressed her lips together, "It's the old me. I want to move on from Amity me, and I want to take in this new me. Something to say I've changed and I'm never going back."

Everyone seemed to nod in agreement.

"All in favor for hair cuts?"

They all raised their hands, and even Diana who loved her hair. Georgia smiled, this was what a true family was like. She couldn't love it more.


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I decided I wanted to give this book a final let down, after all - there is another book to come along, and then the trilogy can be put to rest. :) Enjoy.

Georgia stared at herself in the mirror. She didn't look like herself anymore. Her pale skin looked smoother, cheeks rounder, and the natural blushing pinch high on her cheek had faded a bit. Her eyes seemed dark green, but tired. Like they've seen too many centuries to count, like they've seen galaxies create and creations burn. Staring at her angled jaw, and her pink lips, she looked different. Her shortened hair waved and curled to its own content where it ended not longer than under her chin. Her maroon and black leather jacket on her shoulders with a new black shirt she'd gotten, new boots to bust out, and jeans to tear at the seams over agonizing time. Again, she met her dark eyes and stared herself in the eyes. She was new.

Nothing would hold her back anymore.

"Georgia Monroe." Called an Erudite woman with a stiff smile. "Please follow me."

Georgia gave one more glance at her androgynous features, and followed the woman into the mass expanded room before her. Erudite scattered along the banisters and floor, a chair in the middle of the room like in the simulation testings and tries. Except there were no mirrors to look back at herself, no close walls to hold herself up on. The woman extended her hand to the chair, Tobias already standing beside it with a vial in hand. Their eyes met, but for a brief second before he was looking at her short hair. Such a small change making such a big difference. When the woman leaves, Georgia stands a moment below the platform before a light smile forms on her lips and it echoed onto Tobias' face.

Stepping up onto the platform, she sat down on the chair, looking up at him. Tracey had already gone before her, Diana as well, and just before was Paul. Now it was her turn, Reggie would follow, and finally Cameron. So many names for so little people. She pushed aside the names and focused on what Tobias was saying.

"This is your final simulation trial, in which you will face your fears. Do you understand?" He repeated, being the third time he's said it already.

"Yes." She verballed answers.

"State your name and previous faction."

"My name is Georgia Monroe. I was in Amity."

Some people among the observation decks murmured to each other.

Jeanine Mathews standing in her blue sharp suit, arms crossed, speaking with the man beside her.

Georgia glanced around a moment, fear already making her heart ache a bit.

"Don't worry about them." He whispered, "You'll do great."

She smiled at him, and he smiled back.

"I will be injecting you with a serum that stimulates a part in your brain that processes fear, it will induce hallucinations, and transmitters in this serum will allow speculators see images in your mind. Do you understand? Say no, if you do not."

She nodded, "Yes."

He nodded slowly, bringing the needle to her neck. "You cut your hair." He says simply.

She cringed to the light pinch of the needle.

"It's," he put the needle down, " _You."_ He smiled.

She smiled back, and settled her back against the seat. Blinking at the ceiling, she took a breath.

"You'll do great." He whispered, "Remember what your goal is." He stepped down from the platform and abandoned her on the chair, speculators now turning their attention to her.

She took another breath, and closed her eyes gently. Letting her hand unclench by her side, letting her toes uncurl with tension, and her chest sink with every exhale and rise with every inhale. She let it take her over.

She opened her eyes.

She looked over her shoulder in the Dauntless halls as people passed her by, feeling the aching feeling in her chest, Reggie tapped on her arm. "Come on." She smiled, "We have to get to training." She walked on across the Chasm bridge. With a twitch of feeling, Georgia turned again and a dog lurched at her. Bringing her forearm to push away at its neck, it snapped and snarled as her back hung over the ledge of the Chasm. She glanced down below to the water, and back to the dog. She drew her knee up, and it gave the dog a spike up further. With a toss over her head, the dog tumbled into the Chasm with a howl. Slowly, she came to her feet.

When she was steady on her feet, she was looking through a window with the Capital just streets down. The dusty window felt cold under her touch as she reached out, and something moved behind her. With an instinct, she turned and elbowed the gun out of her attacker's hands. Kicking him in the back of his knee and then in the face, the arms came around her, and she gave a painful bite to their hand. They screamed, and she head butted them. With a kick, they stumbled back into the glass window and it shattered. Behind it wasn't the sight of the city any more, - it was the white room. Just seeing it before her, her heart beat started raising.

_Eric steadied on his feet watching. Tobias beside him, and Lauren as well. All of them living out Georgia's fears beside her._

Georgia took a step back, but caught herself. No. She needed to face this. Walking up to the broken glass panel, she stepped around the fallen body of her attacker and disregarded him. Passing him, she walked through the empty, white room. Lights still brightly lit, and the floor still clean. Her heart hammered.

_Tobias watched the monitor as Georgia's heart kept a fast pace._

Georgia glanced back to the now white wall she'd walked through, and turned forward. She flinched when she saw Paul standing there. What did she have to fear about Paul? He was harmless to her. "You must choose." He plainly said.

She swayed on her feet, "Choose what?"

"You must find the attachment." Said Reggie, suddenly appearing a step behind him.

She stood still, her heart beat slowing.

"Cut the attachment." Said Cameron behind her.

"What attachment?" She asked, but got no answer.

"The source of your fears lies with what you fear most." Said a voice, and she looked to find it to be Tracey behind him.

"And what you fear the most will kill you." Said Diana.

"If you do not kill it." Remarked Derek.

All forming a line of crossed people, back and forth, left to right, she slowly neared and the nearest person stepped apart like stones in the ocean. She was the current.

"When you find what you fear the most." Tobias said, looking down at her. "You must cut the attachment." For a moment more, he stared down at her then moved to the side.

Her last gauge of the water dam, it seemed, stood Eric. Wide shouldered, like she'd seen him in the beginning, arms across his chest, with that hard expression on his face. He didn't say anything, and he didn't have to when he unwrapped his arms, and held out the gun she'd used for target practice. Five bullets still left. She looked back up at him, and he moved to the side. Watching him step aside, she stepped past him to glance back to the watchful eyes of her friends. Looking to the gun in hand, she started forward picking her head up. But when she did - she wasn't in the white, blank room. The sun setting colors sat on her pale skin, and she was standing in the tall grass. Her free hand grazed the top as she walked, in search of this _attachment._

A rumble of laughter came up from behind her, and turning she watched the Amity children run up, Jen leading the running,  laughing, and giggling. They rounded her, holding hands as if she were the great tree, and scurried off forward. Watching them go, her eyes landed on a beautiful being in the grass. Picking flowers from the grass, she looked up and Georgia felt her heart race. Gin's face filled with warmth and happiness, standing up, she threw her arms up forgetting about the flowers, and collapsed into Georgia's body in a hug. Her arms tight, she closed her eyes.

"I missed you." She chimed, and it started to hike up Georgia's heart rate. Her lips started to quiver. "You were gone so long, I started to believe you ran off forever."

Georgia pressed a hand to her back, holding her closer. She closed her eyes, basking in the moment. She whispered into Gin's soft skin of her shoulder. "I'm sorry."

Gin hugged her tighter. "I forgive you." She smiled, never letting go.

Georgia raised the gun, putting her thumb on the trigger, her hand shaking as she angled it against Gin's heart - and would shoot into her heart as well. "No," she held tighter. "I'm _sorry_."

Gin opened her eyes looking to the sunrise, and closed them again. "I'll always forgive you."

Georgia slowly pressed into the trigger, but stopped.

_The room went silent, anticipation building as to why she stopped._

Her eyes glued onto the flowers growing into the grass, in bunches, and happily bleeding color. Her lips quivered. Forget-Me-Not's waved lightly in the afternoon air, and it made her heart hurt. The soft feeling of Gin's hair against her cheek, her arms around her again, the natural smell of cherries on her skin - she's missed her _so_ much. And she would not forget it.

Georgia closed her eyes tightly, pressing her face deeper into Gin's neck. " _I love you."_ She cried. "I'm sorry."

The trigger sounded.

_There was silence._


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally I can put this book two to rest, and turn over a new page. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I loved to submerge myself into another fandom that I loved so much and had so much freedom to write it. Book three soon to come, I've got to come up with a schedule. The next book will be coming up some Monday in the future, so - enjoy. :)

Georgia stared out to the vast canvas across the city, blankness in her expression, and motionless. Her blinking was like molasses, and her breathing honey stuck. Fingers and hands numb from the time she'd spent grasping onto things, and trying to reach higher than she'd ever been. Her head wasn't in the clouds, it was on the ground, walking around and moving along the streets with the people of the Factions. Her thoughts stranded, and motivation long thrown out. Silently, - she'd become silent.

"Hey, _Wit."_ Called a voice from down below, "Four wants us in by sun down. Says there's something he wants to show us." They cupped their hands to their mouth to maximize their voice.

"I'll be right down." She said to herself, staring to the sun that had minutes to set. The fence standing between the world here and there, with the will to move - she started climbing back down the Ferris wheel. Getting off the ladder, she came down and came face to face with Derek.

"How's the view up there?" They started walking.

"Beautiful."

"Hey, take a look at this." He nudged her and both looked towards the chapel where some Dauntless were daring each other to stand on the ledge and walk around it. He laughed, "Idiots."

Georgia watched them until she couldn't see them in sight anymore, their clothes the only thing to set them apart from a person in the crowd it seemed. Walking along the way, a pair of Dauntless scurried on by racing to get to the nearing train.

"Care to do the honors?" Derek smiled. "You are Dauntless, after all." He gestured to the cross beams to lead up to the rails, the train starting to pass over head.

It got a smile out of her. "First one off the Pit gets beer." She pushed him as she climbed up, and it turned into a race. Scrambling up the beam, they ran along side the train, and jumped up pulling the doors open. Other Dauntless doing the same on the other sides.

"Took you long enough."

They turned to Reggie, she'd cut her hair shorter on one side, and close to the skull on the other. The dyed red matched with her maroon baseball tee under her jacket.

"I was starting to think you guys would run home."

"Who? Him?" Georgia pointed to Derek, "He's an old man compared to me. I could beat him any day."

"In your dreams _Wit."_ He leaned against the wall.

"Any dream with you in it is a nightmare."

"Flattery wont get you anywhere."

"Charming, you try it all the time with Eric. You kiss his ass too?"

The Dauntless along the cart hissed at the burn and laughed.

Derek nodded, "I'm going to hang you over the Chasm."

"Too bad. Eric already did it, guess you need to find some one else who hasn't already beat you to the punch." She smirked, "Oh, yeah. I did." She said, referring to when she'd punched him square in the face.

He nodded again, "Okay. Okay. I give you that one." He put his hands up in surrender. "Next round, I'm winning."

"Just like this race? That I'm winning?" She widened her eyes, taking a step back before jumping from the door and onto the roof. Several others following. Looking over her shoulder, she laughed and stepped up on the ledge. "You're buying beer!" She yelled on the way down to the net. Rolling herself off, she laughed when he came down second.

"I knew you'd come around."

She turned her attention to Tobias walking along the room, "You said sun down. Sun's coming down." She pointed up as others came down.

"Yeah, well, I figured I could've waited here but as soon as I heard you were coming down - I turned."

She smiled, ringing her arm around Derek's neck. "Derek here lost a bet. Free drinks on him."

Tobias laughed as she started leading through the halls, "What was it this time?"

"The Carn. To here. He missed the jump," she shook his head.

"She says I kiss ass." Derek stated.

"He does. Eric's ass." Georgia quipped.

"What?" Tobias laughed.

"When ever he's around him, Derek's all _want me to do this for you_ or _there's a shortage of this, we can go out together and get i_ t."   
Derek gave her a shove forward, and she stumbled but felt her footing. Tobias laughed, shaking his head.

"I witnessed it one time!" Reggie called out suddenly.

"I second it!" Said Paul in the mix of the crowd.

"Everyone who says Derek kisses Eric's ass, say _aye!"_ Georgia yelled.

" _Aye!"_ Yelled the Dauntless walking through the halls, the ones who were following the group as well. They all erupted in a fit of laughter already heading to the cafeteria for dinner.

"You're so going to get it." Derek threatened, locking her head in a head lock. "Say it again." He chuckled.

"Derek kisses Eric's ass." She batted him in the crotch, and he groaned with a flutter of curses. When his hands were gone, she looked up to the cafeteria and spotted Reggie at a table with some other Dauntless. She patted Derek's face roughly, "See you around pretty-boy." Walking towards Reggie, she sat down at the corner of the table and they seemed to light up.

"Guess what I heard?" Reggie sing songed.

"Not more horrible jokes. Enough of them." Paul groaned.

"Shut up, will you?" She yelled down the table. They did. "I heard from second hand that there's a new leader coming up to the stage."

"You mean from Erudite?" Paul asked.

"Of course from Erudite." She leaned in, looking down the table. "I heard he's a stiff."

"You think he's going to be a bad leader?"

"Don't know. Never met the guy. Never heard of him. Who ever he is, he's got a lot of power if Jeanine's stepping down."

"You don't say. That's crazy." Said Cameron, scratching his head.

"What do you think will happen? If we like him or don't?" Paul asked.

"We'll negotiate. We always have." Georgia said.

"You're right. You're right." Reggie said.

"No matter what happened, we stick it where the sun don't shine if it's not right." Paul said.

"Agreed." Cameron nodded.

"All in favor of having each other's backs, say _ay_ e."

They all smiled widely. _"Aye!"_

They met their hands in the middle and pushed up to the ceiling, all laughing, snarling jokes at each other and picking fun of each other - but in all good terms. For a moment, staring again, Georgia smiled as Reggie and Cameron laughed so hard they snorted, Paul banging his cup against the table, and Diana was shaking her head to their idiotic subjects. Her eyes drifted from the table to find other tables with loud and laughing people, her eyes found Tobias in the crowd speaking with someone. He smiled, and his eyes narrowed to her. With a nod, his look softened at her. She nodded back. Looking away and along the crowd some more, she found Eric. His gaze was upright as he listened to someone talking but it didn't look like he was, his eyes fell from where he was looking and found Georgia. This time, she nodded slowly and watched as he stared. He nodded back, and in a way - it granted respect.

Turning back to her table, she smiled. She'd become some one she never believed she'd come out to be, someone who's strong and could pick up a fight just as quick as dropping it. She liked where she was, and felt that it was where she belongs. Running along side the wolves, howling at the moon, and wrestling with each other. She was meant to do this, and she couldn't think of anything better to be doing than to sit at a table with people she cared for and looked out for. With her brothers and sisters, family didn't start in blood or end in it, and that's what amazed her. With the thought pushed away, she pulled back into the forefront of her mind and enjoyed the moment of laughter and happiness. Because she knew that laughter wouldn't last forever, and neither would she live forever. Grateful - she began to _live_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for the people who've read this, I very much appreciate it. If you'd like, I'm pretty sure I have a bunch of other books you may like. :) Please take care of yourselves; drink plenty of water, eat today, take your meds, go for a walk, listen to music you love, and go outside. There's a whole world to see out there, it's beautiful, I promise it is. -Ayh


End file.
